Hills Pet Nutrition Recalls Prescription Diet™ M/D™ Cat Dry Food, Only Product with Wheat Gluten

http://www.hillspet.com/menu_foods/Menu_Foods_03302007_en_US.htm ^ | 3/30/07 | Hill's Website

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Topeka, KS (March 30, 2007) - In accordance with its over-riding commitment to pet health and well-being, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is voluntarily recalling Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food from the market.

Hill's is taking this precautionary action because during a two-month period in early 2007, WHEAT GLUTEN for this product was provided by a company that also supplied wheat gluten to MENU FOODS.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration tests of wheat gluten samples from this period show the presence of a small amount of MELAMINE. Prescription Diet m/d Feline Dry represents less than one half of one percent of all Hill's products.

This is the only product Hill's currently sells in the United States and Canada that contains wheat gluten from any supplier.

No other Hill's Prescription Diet® or Science Diet® products are affected by this voluntary recall. Hill's Science Diet Savory Cuts Feline canned cat foods, manufactured by Menu Foods, were previously withdrawn from the market as a precaution. Together with this earlier withdrawal, less than 1% of all Hill's products have been affected.

The voluntary recall of Hill's Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food involves discontinuation of all retail sales and product retrieval from sellers. This recall does not include Prescription Diet m/d Feline canned food which contains no wheat gluten.

Consumers should stop using this product and return it for a refund. All Hill's products carry a 100 percent guarantee, and consumers can receive a refund for recalled product.

Hill's expects to resume shipment shortly of a reformulated version of this highly beneficial product that will not contain wheat gluten. Please check with your veterinarian for an alternative Prescription Diet until m/d Feline dry is reformulated and made available again.

[mewzilla]

Update for anyone who may have missed it....

Del Monte Pet Products Voluntarily Withdraws Specific Product Codes of Pet Treats and Wet Dog Food Products

[Fawn]

Thank you....I didn't catch that one. I passed it on...

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Thanks for the heads-up! I didn't know about Pounce, which I give my cat. The Pounce I have here doesn't match the numbers:

Pounce Meaty Morsels Moist Chicken Flavor Cat Treats Code:
Best By: TP7C07
Sep 04 08 TP7C12
Sep 09 08

[Dr. Scarpetta]

She's acting like she has a bladder infection, but it can't be because of the Hill's food, because we didn't give her any! Off to the vet first thing Monday ...

Good idea...

[Cedar]

I posted this on another thread...this Chinese company may be one of the sources--it's on the FDA import alert list:

Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology
Development Company Ltd.
Wangdian Industrial Zone,
Peixian, CN-32, China 221623
FEI# 2000023594

Wheat gluten 3/30/07

FDA import ALERT: http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia9926.html

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Thank you!

[scoopscandal]

I am late to this conversation but just in case no one else has mentioned it...Hill's is Science Diet. I personally prefer Purina to Hill's...prescription or otherwise...the latter's protein values are low and they are ridiculously expensive for the product they put out. Hill's just recently changed all the weights on their foods and raised the prices.

Animal hospitals use Hill's out of a force of habit since they've been around forever but there are other good prescription foods out there.

I've recently switched to Wellness dry food for both my dogs and my cats. They do not use animal by-products, wheat, corn or soy. Their ingredients begin with their protein source such as chicken, lamb, fish, etc...

Protein is especially important for cats because they are obligate carnivours. In the wild, dogs and especially cats do not eat corn and/ or other fillers.

I also have no problems adding left over vegetables, fruits, and meat, poultry or fish to their food (no onions, grapes are raisens). So long as they don't beg at the table they will get our left overs when we are done eating.

Also, I do supplement my dog's dry food w/ a raw diet...I use B.A.R.F. (Biologically Accurate Raw Food).

I'd rather pay the money up front and have my pets on a good diet in order to save money in vet bills in the long run...so far it's worked.

This pet food recall is infuriating, many companies have been packaging filler, by-products, and sh*t, and calling it pet food for years, it's a wonder something like this hasn't happened sooner.

Best Regards,

[Fawn]

They will still pack their foods with '$*it'. All road kill including cats are used as food. It's disgusting. Nothing will change. Companies are too greedy. They keep lowering the quantity and quality and raise prices. I've heard everyone talk about Wellness. But the can the size of a fancy feast can is .92 cents each! Do they have dry food too?

[Fawn]

Shouldn't they have caught this before it entered the food supply? Isn't that their job?

[CholeraJoe]

Thanks for posting. I checked the ingredients on Hill's Large Breed Light Adult dog food yesterday and it contains corn gluten. Any worries about that that you're aware of?

[Dr. Scarpetta]

I've recently switched to Wellness dry food for both my dogs and my cats.

I never noticed that brand in the store...

[Dr. Scarpetta]

They will still pack their foods with '$*it'. All road kill including cats are used as food.

That should be illegal...

[Dr. Scarpetta]

checked the ingredients on Hill's Large Breed Light Adult dog food yesterday and it contains corn gluten.

I use Hill's Adult Canine Light, and it's ok so far...

[armymarinemom]

Our Vet has suggested Hills for our Cat but he had been doing very well on Iams hair ball control.

[AuntB]

I hope this is a lesson for companies who go to turd world countries for any kind of food stuff, however cheap.

It ought to be, but it probably won't. For all the talk about our 21st century ecomomy, it seems strange to me that it is supplied with 18th century production by 3rd world countries and labor.

Gotta love that global economy!! Until it kills us all...

[scoopscandal]

Hi Fawn,

I only feed dry food supplimented with table food (not scraps--I wouldn't feed my pets anything that I wouldn't eat myself). Can food is really high in calories. Once in a while I'll splurge and pick up a can to feed as a "treat" but it's usually a teaspoon each cat and it's a rare occasion. Since a lot of cats are indoor only these days, their lifespan has been prolonged but their excercise is drastically reduced so, I've found that obesity which leads to diseases such as diabetes is an issue. I can barely apply a topical flea protection to my savage felines without a substantial risk to life and limb, I try to avoid at all costs having to medicate.

Wellness dry food is expensive as well but if you take the time to read the ingredients you might be able to justify the expense as I have.

If money is an issue, I'd look into a higher end Purina food. Also, the people at the local farm supply store in my area are really knowlegable, it wouldn't hurt to ask someone who is in the pet food business for their opinion.

Best Regards,

[scoopscandal]

Two of our local farm supply stores carry the brand...I think Petco and other such stores carry it as well. As I recall, it is part of the Mother Hubbard company.

Best Regards,

[Fawn]

Thanks. I'll look into the Wellness dry. My vet told me that dry food actually has more calories. It is packed with carbs. Wet food contains more water. ....which is what my one cat is on strickly since she gets crystals in her urine and never drinks enough water. My brothers cat is obese and is also on a wet food (with some LITE dry food) because again he was told that wet food has less calories than the dry due to the water.

[scoopscandal]

Hmmm, very strange. I work at an animal hospital and our general rule of thumb is that kibble is the way to go because it has less calories. Also, if the kibble is large enough, chewing it helps with dental care.

Obviously, you have to do what works best for you. I've found that it all comes down to personal philosophy and experience--for us and for the people who care for our pets.

I'll ask 5 people (drs. and techs) the same question and get 6 different answers. It's crazy. Some people are more by-the-book/ scientific, some are more holistic, and others are more old-school/ loosey-goosey. And these are all people that I respect immensely.

So, I do what has worked for me--so far, so good. I've always fed high end dry food, primarily, and it's worked for me. I just brought my 14 year old cat into work for a regular senior physical and the doctor couldn't believe she was 14 years old because she seems to be in such excellent shape. I'll get her bloodwork and urinalysis results this week--fingers crossed.

But, I'd do some independent research on the dry vs. can food thing...in the practice I work at we recommend kibble over can as the primary food source.

In regards to water consumption--this might sound weird but, is your cat's water bowl plastic? I've found that my cats turn their nose up to food or water served in plastic. I provide fresh Brita-filtered water in a ceramic bowl. I'm pretty well-trained :o)

Best Regards,

[Fawn]

That is another point that my vet brought up. Do not use any china dishes from China! They can contain high amounts of lead. China has different standars than we do. (Obviously) My vet has experienced a pet who was licking from dishes from china (got severe lead poisoning).....and that the dishes contain high amounts of lead. I use glass and porcelain dishes made in America.

Good luck with your cat. My 10 year old perfectly healthy cat (who dines 90% dry food) was just diagnosed with Hyper-T. We're presently adjusting her meds for thyroid and to see the kidney damage....then hopefully it's on the I-131.